She sucked in a sharp breath and behind her the TV flickered on and off. “You don’t know me. And you don’t know shit. That…that human freak—whatever he is—was here because of what my brother did to you. In theory, if you never came here, none of this would’ve happened. Adam…” Her voice caught. “Adam would still be alive.”

Daemon stiffened beside me. “That’s enough, Dee. It wasn’t her fault.”

“It’s okay.” I sat back against the cushion, feeling as if the walls had shifted closer. Andrew had said the same thing days before and even though hearing him say it sucked, coming from Dee’s mouth gave it a wasp-sting-like quality. Part of me almost couldn’t believe Dee had said it. Not hyper and cute like Tinker Bell Dee. Not the girl who whipped into my life during the summer, feeling just as lonely as I had. This wasn’t my best friend.

And then it hit me.

Dee wasn’t my best friend anymore.

God, realizing that seemed more important than anything else that was going on. Yeah, that was stupid when the big picture was called into play, but Dee was important to me, and I had failed her.

Beside me, Dawson shifted forward. “If Katy hadn’t come here, I would never have been freed. The world works in messed-up ways.”

Dee looked like she hadn’t even considered that. She pivoted around, playing with a strand of her hair—a nervous habit of hers. Her arm faded out for a few seconds, and then she sat on the coffee table, her back to us.

From the arm of the recliner, Andrew sighed. Every time I looked at him, he’d had his gaze fixed on Dee. “Guys, whether we like the idea of killing someone or not, we have to do something.”

“We do,” Daemon agreed. He glanced at me quickly before facing the group. “Arguing about what to do with Blake is a waste of time. If we don’t help him free Chris and in turn get Beth back, he’s going to turn Kat and me over.”

“Wow,” Matthew muttered, thrusting his fingers through his hair. And then he did something unheard of, for him at least. He swore.

Dee stood again, her movement abrupt and jerky. “He said that?”

“I don’t doubt he’s serious,” I said, hating that all of them were put in this position because of me. If I had only listened to Daemon in the beginning… So many would’ve, could’ve moments. “He’s incredibly desperate to free Chris.”

“Then it’s done,” Dawson said, seeming relieved. “We help him, and he helps us.”

Dee whirled. “You guys are freaking insane! We cannot help Adam’s murderer!”

“Then what do you suggest we do?” Matthew asked. “Let him turn your brother and Katy over?”

Her eyes rolled. “No. Like I said, we kill him. That will stop him from doing anything.”

I shook my head, stunned by the ferocity in her voice. I also believed Blake probably had to die, because why should he live when Adam hadn’t, but hearing Dee like this cut through me with a dull knife.

Daemon stood, drawing in a long breath. “We are not going to kill Blake.”

His sister’s hands balled into fists. “Your call. Not mine.”

“We are going to help him and we’re going to keep an eye on him,” Daemon continued sternly. “And none of us are going to kill him.”

“Bullshit,” she hissed.

On his feet, Andrew took a step forward. “Dee, I think you need to sit down and think about this. You’ve never killed before. Not even an Arum.”

She folded her slender arms and her chin went up a notch. “There’s always a first time.”

Ash’s eyes widened as she slid a look at me that said, Holy crap. I wished I knew what to do or say, but there was nothing.

Quickly losing patience, Daemon mirrored his sister’s stance. “This isn’t up for discussion, Dee.”

A faint glimmer of white light shaded the outline of her trembling body. “You’re right. There’s nothing you can say that will convince me that his life should be spared.”

“We don’t have a choice. Blake has it set up that if anything happens to him, Nancy will be notified about Katy and me. We can’t kill him.”

She was undeterred. “Then we find out who he’s talked to or working with and take care of them!”

Daemon’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”

“Yes!”

He turned away, seconds from losing it. My stomach rolled. This whole situation was all wrong.

Beside me, Dawson leaned forward, taking on the same position that Daemon had earlier. “Is your need for vengeance more important than finding and stopping what they’re doing to Beth?”

She didn’t look away, but her lips pressed into a grim line.

All eyes were on Dawson. “Because, little sister, let me tell you that what Adam went through pales in comparison to what she’s experiencing. The things I’ve seen…” He trailed off and his gaze lowered. “If you doubt what I say, then ask Katy. She’s had a taste of some of their methods and she can still barely talk from screaming.”

Dee blanched. We hadn’t spoken, not really, since New Year’s Eve. I had no idea what she knew about my brief capture or the methods Will had used to subdue me. Her gaze flickered to mine, and she looked away all too quickly.

“You ask a lot,” she said hoarsely, lower lip trembling. But then her shoulders slumped, and she turned, walking to the front door. Without saying a word, she left.

Andrew was already behind her, shooting Daemon a look. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”




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